Happy anniversary to us

We celebrated two major milestones in October: 10 years in the current Main Library building and 110 years as a public library in Oak Park. Learn more about our award-winning architecture and library history.

Read what everyone is saying about it.

From us

In this three-minute Anniversary Celebration video, library staff and trustees reflect on what they love about Oak Park, the library and supporting a dynamic community on its journey of lifelong learning.

From our community

Has the library made a difference in your life? We'd love to hear about it. Let's get started >

From local media

Oak Leaves journalist Rebecca Bibbs reports on our Anniversary Celebration Saturday, Oct. 5: "Though there were plenty of librarians around wearing black commemorative T-shirts marking the 110th anniversary of the Oak Park Public Library earlier this month, the third floor was hardly a place for reading and contemplation." Read the full article.

OakPark.com blogger and local author Doug Deuchler writes "when people look at old images of the building, they usually comment that it looks so picturesque 'just like a castle.' Another frequent response: 'What a shame we were not more architecturally sensitive' in the early 1960s when 'that lovely, massive Romanesque structure fell to the wrecking ball.' They are referring to the stately, elegant structure known as the Scoville Institute, Oak Park's first library. But, of course, there are always at least two sides to every story." Read the full article.

Chicago Sun-Times' Paul Sassone: "Libraries are profoundly democratic. Way back, Americans decided that unlike most good things, knowledge should not cost money but be free to all. It is impossible to calculate the importance of libraries for generations of children, and thus on America itself. Kids whose parents had a hard enough time making ends meet didn’t have to pay to walk to London with Oliver Twist, wouldn’t be charged to paint Tom Sawyer’s fence or to search for treasure with Jim Hawkins." Read the full article.